Articles (2020)

Are you someone who needs some Bach or Black Sabbath to round out that perfect wilderness experience? High Gear has just what you need! The Trail Audio 512 is a solid state MP3 player and an FM radio—all in a compact 3.5 oz, carabineer clip package with up to 17 hours of play on a single AAA battery.

We may risk revocation of our Sierra Club membership for such an indulgence but we can’t resist. We’re on the fast track to get one of the first units to try out.

High Gear Trail Audio 512 Built in 512mb flash memory
Plays MP3, WMA, and ADPCM formats
Equalizer (Pop, Classic, Jazz, Rock and user defined)
Built in USB 2.0
Negative black LCD with White backlight
FM radio with 12 station presets
FM recording with MP3 quality
Splash proof construction (splash seals on all buttons)
Up to 17 hours continuous play
Skip free solid state memory
Simple drag and drop for music and data files
Windows (98 or higher) + Mac OS 10
Line-in audio recording from other sources

Detachable Carabineer clip
High-performance Head-contoured headphones included
5.50 x 1.25 x 0.63 in (14 x 3.2 x 1.6 cm)
One AAA battery
Arm-band carrier optional accessory

Overview

The Pod 30 is an elegant bag that is only insulated on the top and sides. It has a generous 4 inches of loft and is fully featured with a half zipper, hood, and an innovative flap system for securing it to a mat. The shell is very light ExtremeLite 20 denier nylon and the bag weighs only 18.8 ounces (532 gram) for the large size. It is well designed with high quality materials and comfortable to use.

In Brief

• Very light top bag with plenty of loft
• An integrated sleeping system of bag and pad. Use the Pod with one of two custom fitted Western Mountaineering pads.
• Innovative pad tie-down system that allows the bag to contour to the sleeper and reduces air gaps and cold spots.
• Half-length zipper
• Light and comfortable
• Pads that come with the Pod are heavy. Users may opt for using a lighter non-Western Mountaineering pad.

Specifications

Features

Pad Sleeve

The Pod 30 is a top bag with insulation only on the top and sides. It uses an innovative flap system that wraps around the sides and ends of the sleeping pad to hold the pad securely to the bag. The flaps are held to the pad by bungee cords with cord locks. The uninsulated bottom section of the bag is much narrower than on most top bags, only 14 inches wide at the shoulders and hips, narrowing to 6.5 inches wide at the foot.

What’s Cool about the Pad Attachment System?

A particular problem with top bags is that a large air gap can form between the sleeper and the edges of the mat. This leads to warm air being pumped out of the bag when you move. The Pod 30 tie-down system prevents this by attaching the sleeping bag to the pad closer to the center of the pad. This adds slightly to the weight of the bag but means that the bag fits more snugly to the sleeper without forming a ‘tent’ to the edges of the mat. This makes the bag more comfortable for side sleeping than most top bags. The flaps that go underneath the mat are made of a tougher fabric than the shell material to resist damage from hard surfaces.

The Pod 30 is designed to fit a Western Mountaineering tapered inflatable pad, but can be used with rectangular pads. The Western Mountaineering inflatable pads come in two styles, air-only and a foam core self-inflating style. These mats are fairly heavy and more than a few ultralighters will switch them for something a bit lighter. It’s not much of a problem to cut down a standard foam pad to fit the Pod 30, or you can just use a rectangular mattress.

When using a rectangular pad, the flaps tend to pull away from the mat in the hip area. However, in general, the system provides an effective seal with the pad. The Pod 30 also works satisfactorily with a three-quarter-length inflatable mat combined with a pack at the feet although it takes a little extra effort to set up the flaps and bungees over a pack.

Fabric

The lightweight shell fabric has an effective DWR coating. Even after many weeks of use, water spilled on the bag beaded up and ran off.

Zipper

I never found myself wishing for more than the half-length YKK zipper. My only complaint is that it does not have a locking head. The zipper slides very easily and if not fastened with the hook and loop at its top, it quickly unzips its full length. Both sides of the zipper have a stiffening tape to prevent snagging. Nevertheless, I found it easy to jam the delicate fabric in the teeth of the zipper. Fortunately, the fabric is solid enough that no damage occurred. There is a single down-filled draft tube on the upper side of the zipper. The zipper is not at the seam where the bag joins the pad and where the sleeper could lie on it, but is high up the side with insulation above and below.

Hood

The hood is a simple three-dimensional shape with a single drawcord around the opening. It has a reverse differential cut so that it lofts to fit around the head. It is lightly insulated and is tied to the pad at the back of the neck to allow the pad to act as insulation. Because the hood has much less loft than the rest of the bag, cold spots develop, especially near the opening. Wearing a warm hat helps to counter this effect.

A draft collar at the neck would help prevent losing warm air when moving about. A draft collar is included with the warmer model, the Pod 15.

Insulation

Except for the issues with the hood discussed above, the baffle compartments are a series of simple rectangles that keep the down in place effectively. The compartments are well filled with down and the bag has a good 4 inches of loft over the chest and legs.

The measured hip and shoulder girths are a little less than advertised on the Western Mountaineering web site, but the Pod 30 is still sized so that a medium sized person can wear bulky clothing inside it as additional sleeping insulation. It is a comfortable bag, easy to get into and use. On warm nights it is simple to stay cool by unhooking the pad and letting the uninsulated section move to the top. It is much easier to keep the drafts out than when using a quilt.

Performance

In the field, I felt the Pod 30 provided a similar level of comfort to other top bags with a comparable manufacturer’s temperature rating.

The pad attachment prevented cold air from reaching my back when I turned over and its unique attachment method reduced air gaps when sleeping on my side. Overall, I find myself pleased to put this light sleeping bag in my pack and, in combination with a variety of clothes, it is just right for a wide range of trips.

Missing from this review (and for all sleeping bag reviews published here, for that matter) will be an assessment of whether or not the sleeping bag performs adequately at temperatures near its manufacturer-reported temperature rating. Click here for the complete Backpacking Light Position Statement on Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings.

Durability

The Pod 30 has the same 20 denier nylon for the shell and inner lining that all the Western Mountaineering ExtremeLite bags use. This particularly light material weighs less than 1 oz/yd². Western Mountaineering warns that the fabric is not as robust or downproof as typical sleeping bag materials, however no damage occurred during my testing and only two or three feathers leaked out each trip. For the ultralight backpacker, the small sacrifices in downproofness and robustness are well worth the benefits in weight and packed volume. This lightweight fabric does tend to be fairly air-permeable, which slightly reduces its insulating effectiveness.

Value

This is a very light bag with great loft. Using top quality materials, Western Mountaineering provides a top bag with hood and zipper at a competitive price.

Recommendations for Improvement

The changes I would like to see in the bag are:

• A little more loft in the hood to match the rest of the bag and some design work to shape the hood to better maintain loft around the opening.
• A neck collar, although adding weight, would improve the rating of the bag. It is important to prevent warm air from pumping out and cold air in with top bags.
• A locking head on the zipper.
• A strap for tying the bag more firmly to the mat at the hip.
• Make available a lightweight fitted foam pad weighing in the range of 8 ounces.

Overview

The Foretrex 101 is a wrist-mounted GPS unit for the minimalist – small, lightweight, and waterproof. It weighs the same as the Suunto X9 to within a few tenths of an ounce. With street prices as low as $115 (manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $139), it is also minimalist on price. The Garmin Foretrex 101 focuses on the no frills basics of navigation in an easy-to-use unit. To meet size, battery life and price criteria, Garmin eliminated features such as topographic mapping, a barometric altimeter and a magnetic compass.

Having a GPS on your wrist has two benefits. It frees up your hands for climbing, paddling or trekking poles. It also gives you continuously readable navigation information. The Foretrex 101 can also be used as a small handheld unit by removing the strap. Without the strap, it is similar in function to the Garmin Geko 201, but is smaller and lighter. The Foretrex 101 compares in its wrist-mounted mode to the Suunto X9, except for the lack of an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. It is also bulkier on the wrist. However, the Foretrex 101 has more reliable and faster GPS reception, a larger display and is significantly easier to operate than the X9.

Overall, the 101 is an excellent value for a GPS. It has just the right navigational features for backcountry navigation.

To summarize:

• Among the very lightest and smallest GPS units
• GPS performance as good as the eTrex and Geko series units
• Excellent battery life (over 22 hours in battery save mode)
• Wrist mounted – frees up hands; continuously readable information
• Inexpensive
• Easy to operate
• Basic GPS/navigation functions (no support for internal maps). Missing magnetic compass and barometric altimeter. Some may wish to use the 101 in conjunction with a magnetic compass and barometric unit like a Suunto Vector.
• Bulky for a wrist mounted unit and interferes with some clothing. Used without the wrist strap it is delightfully small and pocketable.

Specifications

Features

In addition to the features specified above, the Foretrex 101 also has the following:

• Six main pages or screens including: Satellite, Map, Navigation, Trip Computer, Timer, and Main Menu. The Trip Computer, Satellite, and Navigation pages can be customized by changing displayed fields.
• Trip computer: Current speed, average speed, re-settable maximum speed, trip timer and trip distance.

GPS Field Performance

The Foretrex 101 has the same reported fix times as the rest of the Garmin lightweight GPS units, including the eTrex and Geko series. These lightweight units all use a similar GPS receiver and antenna. Reported fix times corresponded well with field tested fix times, as shown in the following table.

Excellent GPS performance and fast fix times are not without compromise. The Foretrex 101 uses a larger patch antenna, requiring a larger plastic case than that required for a loop antenna (the Suunto X9 uses a loop antenna allowing for a smaller size but with poor GPS reception and slower fix times). The Foretrex 101 is much larger than the X9 and can interfere with clothing layers, gloves, and elastic cuffs on jackets. To alleviate interference, Garmin includes an extension wrist strap that can extend the strap allowing for the unit to fit over clothing layers. This solves the problem for warmer conditions, but having the unit exposed to the cold in winter conditions greatly shortens battery life. (If battery life is a concern in cold conditions, we suggest that you keep the Foretrex 101 in a warm pocket.)

The 101 maintained good satellite contact on trail runs and hikes in forested areas. Fast movement of the unit, antenna position, and clothing layer coverage did not appear to affect reception.

GPS Operation

The Satellite page gives the user the option to choose between a Normal and Advanced Skyview. The Advanced Skyview displays the satellites oriented in the sky with signal bars for each satellite and accuracy with indication of a 2D or 3D fix. It also allows the satellite graphic to be oriented with the direction of travel. The Normal mode has only one signal bar and an accuracy value. We think that Garmin should have scrapped this Normal Skyview page and simply used the Advanced Skyview, which provides more useful reception information.

The Foretrex has six dedicated buttons, including: GoTo, Page, Enter/Mark, Up, Down, and Power. These buttons are well designed and provide a good tactile response, allowing for easy manipulation. The Power button is slightly receded into the Foretrex case to prevent an accidental power-on. Holding the Power button turns the unit on and off while a quick depression toggles the backlight on and off. Browsing between the five main pages is done by simply hitting the Page button. This action only advances to the next page in one direction, so if the Page button is accidentally depressed at the wrong time, the next main page will appear. To get back to the main page of interest, the user has to go through the remaining pages. This proved to be an inconvenience, which might be alleviated by having a Page Back button or giving the GoTo button two functions.

The menu levels in the Foretrex usually do not extend past two sub-levels, which makes operating the unit straightforward. One gripe is the process to turn off the GPS receiver, which requires at minimum six button presses. Turning off the GPS receiver is desirable if the user simply wants to use the Foretrex for time display between GPS fixes. This would eliminate the need to carry an additional timepiece. We’d like to see a combination of button presses that would turn off the GPS receiver quickly and easily.

Marking waypoints with the Foretrex simply involves holding the Enter/Mark button for two seconds. This brings up a waypoint window letting the user type a descriptive name (six characters maximum selected using a scrollable alphanumeric list) as well as choose a symbol for the waypoint. If default names and symbols are accepted, marking the waypoint requires only two button presses. The waypoints are stored in a list that can easily be browsed to find the point of interest. Routes are created from the waypoints by selecting from the waypoint list, which proved to be relatively easy, yet also time consuming. Downloading routes to the Foretrex from a PC is much faster. Individual waypoints can also be downloaded, which is superior to manual entry of waypoints in the Foretrex. People who buy the Foretrex 101 must purchase a Garmin proprietary PC cable to connect to a computer. The cable costs an additional $15 and is not always available as a standard stock item at local stores that carry the Foretrex.

An optional page within the Foretrex is the Timer page, which must be enabled to be displayed as one of the main pages. This page has a settable countdown timer, which is supposedly useful for sailing. Once the timer counts down to zero, the elapsed time begins. This countdown feature proved to be cumbersome when trying to simply record elapsed time, which we often wanted to do while hiking. Beyond the countdown issue, the Timer page had another drawback: the timer maxed out at 99 minutes and 59 seconds, as the display is unable to fit an additional hour digit. A similar timer exists within the Trip Computer page that measures moving time, although it requires the GPS to be turned on to determine whether the unit is moving. Timing functions are not normally found on handheld GPS units, but because the Foretrex is a wrist mounted unit we expected more chronographic functions. A simple stopwatch function in the Foretrex 101 would be desirable.

The Foretrex 101 can also be used without the wrist strap, making the unit comparable in size to the Geko 201. However, the absence of the strap made button presses less ergonomic. The overall size of the Foretrex without the strap is smaller than the Geko 201 and nearly an ounce lighter. We found the unit more comfortable in the pocket than the Geko 201.

Battery Life and Power Management

Battery life for the Foretrex 101 is impressive, with a reported and tested battery life of 15 and 16 hours, respectively, when the unit is in Normal GPS mode (GPS fix rate = once every second). When in Battery Save mode (GPS fix rate = once every five seconds), the Foretrex had a tested life of over 22 hours, which is substantially higher than many GPS units using AA batteries. The Foretrex 101 battery tests were performed using regular Energizer Max AAA alkaline batteries. With Energizer e2 Titanium batteries we would expect the 101 to have a battery save mode life in the range of 25 hours. This is comparable to the Geko 301 in battery save mode. See Alan Dixon’s Geko 301 and 201 review.

We liked the ability to change the Foretrex 101’s batteries in the field for multi-day, navigation intensive trips. The Foretrex 101’s brother, the Foretrex 201, uses an internal rechargeable lithium battery that cannot be replaced.

The Foretrex 101 has the capability to record a track while hiking, which is useful if conditions warrant leaving an electronic breadcrumb trail to backtrack later. Except in the case of whiteouts, however, this feature is not usually needed and it’s preferable to turn it off to save battery life. This is done by simply navigating to the Tracks menu and turning the Recording option to OFF.

Computer Interface and Software

As mentioned, the Foretrex 101 is capable of interfacing with a PC to download and upload routes, waypoints, tracks, and trackpoints. However, the unit doesn’t come with the required $15 cable (this is a new cable, different from the cable for the eTrex and Geko series). Computer download is the preferred way to enter waypoints when planning a trip since entering navigation information manually from a paper map can be tedious. Some type of mapping program (e.g., National Geographic Topo! or Garmin MapSend) is required. National Geographic Topo! version 4.0 now supports the Foretrex series.

Note: according to National Geographic there is currently no support (and may never be support) for the Foretrex series in versions 2.7 and 3.4.3. To download waypoints created in these older versions you’ll need to upgrade to Topo! 4.0 and merge the old waypoint file into a version 4.0 file before downloading to the Foretrex.

Display

The Foretrex uses the same screen as the Geko series, except that the Foretrex uses landscape orientation. The 100 x 64 pixel screen size allows enough information to be displayed on each screen to minimize the need for multiple screens and deeply nested menus. A quick press of the power button toggles backlighting on the Foretrex. A feature that we like is that once turned on, the backlight turns off after a user-defined period of time. When subsequent buttons are pressed, the backlight turns back on, illuminating the display. To turn the backlight off, press the power button quickly. We found the backlighting on the Foretrex effectively illuminated all parts of the screen.

Value

The MSRP for the Foretrex 101 is $138, with street prices as low as $115. We believe that the Foretrex 101 is a great value at this price. The Foretrex 101’s price is close to that of the Geko 201 and about $50 cheaper than the Foretrex 201. The Foretrex 201 only differs by the type of battery used and the inclusion of the PC cable. (If you intend to use a GPS for multi-day trips then the Foretrex 201’s inability to be charged in the field and lack of replaceable batteries are a concern.) When compared to the similarly priced Geko 201, which has identical features, the Foretrex 101 is lighter (with the strap removed), smaller, and has wrist-mounting convenience if desired. Compared to the Suunto X9, a similar wrist-top mounted GPS unit, the Foretrex 101 is about $550 cheaper (MSRP). The benefits of the X9 are a smaller size, an electronic compass, and an altimeter. The Foretrex 101 has much better GPS reception and is significantly easier to operate than the X9.

Recommendations for Improvement

Some recommendations for future iterations include:

• More watch-like attributes such as a stopwatch and the ability to turn off the GPS receiver more easily when only a time display is needed.
• Inclusion of a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. Possibly the Foretrex 301?
• Include a PC cable with purchase and use a USB connection rather than 9-pin serial connection.
• Reduce the size of the unit so that there is less interference with clothing.

Overview

Geko 301

The Geko 301 is my favorite GPS unit. When used in combination with custom waterproof maps and waypoints from National Geographic Topo! (or similar mapping/GPS interface software), the Geko 301 is a superb navigational tool for the ultralighter. Yeah, I can do the map and compass thing and navigate fine (and one should be able to do this in case of GPS failure). But why not travel smarter? I do a lot of off trail-travel, and the Geko 301 more than makes up for its 3.5 ounces by aiding in more efficient travel and better decisions.

The Geko 301 has all the functions I need, comfortably fits in any pocket, and runs for about a half season (my use) on one set of batteries. I love the accuracy, speed and simplicity of the point and sight to a waypoint feature of the 301’s magnetic compass. In almost a year of use, the Geko 301 has already saved my butt in the featureless winter terrain of the Beartooth Plateau, and in the maze of mangrove channels and islands of the Everglades. And that doesn’t count the number of times I’ve used it to navigate in whiteout. Finally, while the Geko 201 costs less, I advise most buyers to pay more to get the magnetic compass and barometric altimeter of the 301.

Geko 201

The 201 retains most functions of the 301 but excludes a magnetic compass and barometric altimeter. It also lacks the point and sight to a waypoint feature of the 301. If used in combination with a wrist mounted compass/altimeter or a simple magnetic compass, the 201 will get the job done. Similar in features and price to the 201, but smaller and lighter is the Foretrex 101 reviewed here. Both the Geko 301 and the Foretrex 101 use a new and more efficient processor for great battery life. The Geko 201 uses an older processor with higher battery drain and about 40% less run time than the 101 and 301. The Foretrex 101 is the same price as the Geko 201 but is lighter and more compact (without wrist strap), has the option of wrist mounting, has longer battery life, and an improved display format. The only disadvantage of the Foretrex 101 as compared to the Geko 201 is that the Foretrex 101 is harder to operate single handedly if the wrist mounting option is not used. It can be operated with a single hand but you need to either pinch it between your fingers and thumb or palm it and look at the screen sideways.

In Brief

• Among the lightest and smallest GPS units. Fit comfortably in almost any pocket. (Makes it easy to keep alkaline batteries warm in cold conditions.)
• Fast, reliable GPS reception even in difficult situations. Acquires well while moving.
• Excellent battery life for the 301(almost 26 hours with alkaline batteries in the battery save mode). Reasonable battery life for the 201 (15 hours with alkaline batteries in the battery save mode). AAA lithium batteries are now available for cold weather use.
• Easy to operate.
• Great point and sight to a waypoint feature with the 301’s magnetic compass. This feature is sorely missed on the 201.
• Reasonably priced given their features. (A Suunto Vector, which lacks a GPS, is similar in price to the 301.)
• To get the full potential out of the Gekos, use custom waterproof maps and computer downloaded waypoints from mapping/GPS interface software like National Geographic Topo!.
• Smaller screens mean less information per screen and more screens to see data.
• Both units lack support for internal maps like some larger units have.

Specifications

Features

In addition to the features specified above, the Geko 201 has five main pages or screens including: Satellite, Map, Navigation, Trip Computer, and Main Menu. The Geko 301 has six pages with the addition of an Elevation page.

GPS Field Performance

The Geko 301 and 201 have the same fast fix times and reliable reception as the rest of the Garmin lightweight GPS units, including the eTrex and Foretrex series. These lightweight units all use a similar GPS receiver, antenna and circuitry. Manufacturer reported fix times corresponded well with field tested fix times, as reported in the specifications table above. In most situations I got a warm fix in 10 to 15 seconds from power on. Plenty fast enough for even an impatient hiker like myself. Most of the time I acquired a GPS fix while on the move.

Both the Geko 201 and 301 can receive WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) satellite correction signals to increase positional accuracy. However most hikers and climbers do not use WAAS because it decreases battery life and, since the WAAS system uses one of two geostationary satellites, WAAS reception can be difficult in all but open land and marine settings. Canyons and forested or mountainous areas frequented when hiking often do not receive strong WAAS signals. Also, increased positional accuracy achieved with WAAS does little to aid backcountry navigation where position accuracy is normally less than 15 meters without WAAS.

The Geko units comfortably fit in just about any pocket without feeling bulky or weighing clothing down. (The Garmin eTrex units are just a bit too large and heavy to be considered pocketable.) The Geko units boot and acquire position quickly so it’s a breeze to pop one out of your pocket, turn it on, get a fix or point and sight to a waypoint (301 only), and put it right back in your pocket. At this point you can continue to navigate using your compass or wrist computer. Using this system you can go for months without changing batteries. Since using the GPS unit is fast and easy it does little to disrupt your hiking.

In cold weather, a pocketable GPS makes for warm batteries and long run times which is an advantage over wrist-mounted GPS units. I used the 301 on a five-day backcountry ski trip in below freezing temps. I did the navigation for the whole group, including manually loading scaled waypoints from the map each night. (The map, torn and coffee stained, was the last one in town but that’s another story…) At the end of the trip, the 301 was still near full battery capacity using alkaline batteries!

The Gekos maintain good satellite contact on trail runs and hikes in not too densely forested areas. Fast movement of the units, antenna position, and clothing layer coverage do not appreciably affect reception. The Gekos easily acquire signal while hiking so there’s no need stop to get a fix. I’ve had good success using the Gekos for canyoneering. That you can’t use a GPS unit in canyons is largely a myth. Unless you are in long and continuous slot canyons like Buckskin Gulch, with some smarts and care, you can get reception at enough points to navigate canyons with GPS. This does involve waiting for confluences, junctions, and other widenings, along with the advanced sky view screen to optimize reception. But it can be done! I’ve found a GPS exceptionally useful in canyons since they can be very confusing and entry and exit points are critical.

Magnetic Compass and Barometric Altimeter

The Geko 301 is the smallest and lightest Garmin GPS with a magnetic compass. I find the magnetic compass very useful. I sight with the Navigation page pointer just as if it were a compass needle to get the direction to my next waypoint. Then I can turn off the GPS to conserve batteries and start walking to the waypoint. There’s no guessing and no possibility of an error translating GPS degree bearings to a separate compass. Another nice thing – the GPS unit automatically sets the right declination on the internal compass for the location.

Since the Geko 201 lacks a magnetic compass, you have to be moving for the Navigation page pointer to work (and the GPS has to be powered up adding to the battery drain). To get a direction to your waypoint, pull up the numeric degree bearing to the waypoint on the 201 and then transfer that bearing to a separate magnetic compass to sight to the waypoint. That takes time and requires that you keep declination and magnetic north versus true north consistent between compass and GPS. Unless you are alert and careful it’s fairly easy to make a mistake in translation and sight to the wrong point. (I have made mistakes when I was tired at the end of the day and rushing to make progress before dark.)

Note: When moving, the 301’s Navigation pointer will function the same as non-magnetic compass GPS units like the 201. When you are moving, the 301’s Navigation pointer ignores the compass and indicates the difference between the direction you’re walking and the waypoint. The speed at which the 301 changes from magnetic compass operation to indicating difference between your line of travel and direction to the waypoint is custom selectable. I usually set it so that the magnetic compass is operating when I’ve been traveling under 1 mile per hour for over 60 seconds. (That’s standing still to most folks.) The direction of travel pointer takes over if I’m walking faster than 1 mile per hour.

An altimeter can be a useful navigational aid. The barometric altimeter on the 301 is more accurate (if you calibrate to reference points occasionally) than GPS based altitude readings that are far less accurate than GPS horizontal positioning. If you are willing to run the 301 continuously, it will log altitude information the same as the history on wrist computers. Note: only in this manner is the Elevation page on the 301 useful. Rather than use the altimeter on the Geko 301, I prefer a watch altimeter like the one on my Suunto Vector, which is continuously readable, relatively accurate, and does not drain the batteries of the GPS.

GPS Operation

First, I’ll make a big pitch for using the Gekos with electronic mapping/GPS interface/waypoint management software like National Geographic Topo!. You won’t realize the full power of the units without it. I like printing custom waterproof maps with UTM coordinates and waypoints. This makes field use of the maps, on the fly navigational decisions, and field waypoint loading a lot easier. See more in the Computer Interface and Software Section below.

The Geko 201 pares the number of main pages on the unit to four screens (if you disregard the useless map screen). For the 301 we’ll ignore both the map screen and the elevation screen that requires the GPS be left on for it to be useful. That gets the 301 down to the same four screens as the 201: Satellite, Navigation, Trip Computer, and Main Menu pages. Each will be explained below.

For me the Navigation Page is the heart of the Gekos. Here’s how I use it: After I boot the unit up and have a fix, I pump the page button five times to get to the Main Menu and navigate to a list of waypoints (usually nearest but sometimes list all). I select my waypoint and use the Go To Waypoint option, which takes me directly to the Navigation page. Here I know the distance to the waypoint and when the direction arrow lines up with the mark at the top of the screen it is pointing directly to my waypoint. No fussing around with bearings and a separate compass. When I have a bearing, I sight to it and turn my GPS off. If I’m interested I can also scroll through 12 separate fields on the bottom of the Navigation page including elevation, positional coordinates (I prefer UTM), and degree bearing to the waypoint.

After using the Geko for a while it will be second nature to operate the following sequence: power on the unit, press the page button five times to get to the Main Menu page; press OK and the down arrow twice and OK again to list nearest waypoints; use the down arrow to highlight a waypoint; and finally press OK twice to activate the GOTO waypoint function and end up on the Navigation page with the selected waypoint loaded. I know it sounds complicated, but in the field it’s quite easy. I can do this whole sequence in the field in less than 10 seconds. If you include the boot up sequence I can be sighting to a waypoint in 20 to 30 seconds and I can be walking while I do this.

Note: you can also follow a route and the Geko will automatically go to the next waypoint without you having to select it. There are pros and cons to both the single waypoint and route methods. User’s choice.

The Satellite page gives the user the option to choose between Normal and Advanced Skyview. The Advanced Skyview displays the satellites oriented in the sky with signal level bars for each satellite and an accuracy indicator. This allows you to make decisions on how best to orient the GPS for best reception. I’ve used this screen with good success to get a fix in difficult situations like canyoneering. The Normal mode has only one signal bar and an accuracy value. We think that Garmin should have scrapped this Normal Skyview page and simply used the Advanced Skyview, which provides more useful reception information. The magnetic compass of the 301 makes the Advanced Skyview screen a bit easier to orient, with an option of keeping the screen oriented to the north. This makes it easier to figure out what may be blocking your view to that last satellite you need for a good fix. Sometimes it can be your body! Without a compass in the 201, you’ll need to know where north is to effectively use the Advanced Skyview screen.

The Gekos have five buttons: Up, Down, OK, Page, and Power. These buttons are designed to be operated by your thumb while cradling the Geko in your palm. The Power button is slightly receded into the case to prevent an accidental power-on. Holding the Power button turns the unit on and off while a quick depression toggles the backlight on and off. Press the Page button to go to the next page or screen. This only advances to the next page in one direction, so if the Page button is accidentally depressed at the wrong time, you’ll need to scroll all the way through to get back to your page.

To Mark a waypoint with the Geko, hold the OK button for 2 seconds. This brings up a waypoint window letting the user type a descriptive name (six characters maximum selected using a scrollable alphanumeric list) as well as choose a symbol for the waypoint. If default names and symbols are accepted, marking the waypoint requires only two button presses. Custom naming is a bit more cumbersome and the six-character limit is a bit of a challenge but I usually manage to give some sort of name I can remember to a waypoint. Waypoints are stored in a list that can easily be browsed to by either name or by listing the nearest waypoints. Nine times out of ten, I will locate a waypoint using the nearest list.

The Gekos will record a track while hiking or climbing if left powered on. This is useful if conditions warrant leaving an electronic bread crumb trail to backtrack later (for instance whiteout, featureless terrain, or a complex route up a mountain). I really wish I had done this once on a Mt. Rainer ascent on a late season crevasse ridden glacier!

The menus on the Gekos generally do not extend past two sub-levels, which makes operating the units fast and straightforward. One gripe is that the process to turn off the GPS receiver (not the unit, just the GPS portion of it to conserve batteries) requires at minimum six button presses. Manually loading waypoints in the field is an example of when the GPS receiver can be turned off to conserve battery power. The compass on the 301 is easily turned on and off by pressing the Page button for more than 2 seconds. We’d like to see a similar way to turn off the GPS receiver quickly and easily.

Battery Life and Power Management

Battery life for the Geko 301 is impressive. In Normal mode (GPS always on) with the compass on, the Energizer e2 AAA alkaline batteries lasted 10 hours and 1 minute. In Battery Save mode (intermittent GPS operation) with the compass off, the batteries lasted an astonishing 25 hours 48 minutes. Both these exceeded the Garmin reported 9 hours for “typical use.” The Geko 201 with its older less efficient processor did not last as long although it still did creditably – in Normal mode (GPS always on) 11 hours 10 minutes; and in Battery Save mode 15 hours 12 minutes. Now that there are lithium AAA batteries, AAA based units like the Gekos are on equal footing with AA battery based units for cold weather operation.

As mentioned earlier, the speed and simplicity of acquiring a fix with the Gekos means that the units is on for only a few seconds at a time. Using the GPS this way, one can go for weeks without needing to change batteries, even in cold weather and with alkaline batteries. Just keep the Geko warm in your pocket when not in use. I can easily get by for a week of navigation in sub freezing weather using alkaline batteries. Both these units compete in run time with many larger and heavier units using AA batteries.

We liked the ability to change the Geko batteries in the field for multi-day, navigation intensive trips. The smaller Foretrex 201 and Suunto X9 units both use an internal rechargeable battery that cannot be replaced. (The Fortrex 101, which is very similar to the Geko 201, uses replaceable AAA batteries.)

Computer Interface and Software

You won’t realize the full power of the Gekos without some sort of electronic mapping/GPS interface software. Entering navigation information manually from a paper map into the Gekos is tedious at best. The Gekos are capable of interfacing with a PC to download and upload routes, waypoints, tracks, and trackpoints. Computer planning then downloading routes and waypoints from the computer to the Geko is my preferred way to prepare for a trip. This requires some type of waypoint management software or better yet, an integrated waypoint management and electronic mapping software.

The Gekos do not come with a data cable or any software. You’ll need to purchase a Garmin proprietary PC cable to connect the Geko to a computer. You’ll also need to obtain software to interface with your Geko. There are some shareware programs that allow you to scan paper maps and download waypoints to the Geko. Garmin also offers some inexpensive waypoint management software. But by far the most powerful choices are electronic mapping/waypoint management programs like National Geographic Topo!. These can be on the pricey side – $100 for a set of 1:25K series maps for a state (but that’s the whole state of California). Maps at 1:63K scale are usually less expensive but are less useful for navigation and precise GPS work, although for casual navigation in a National Park, they may work fine. I did all right with an Everglades National Park Map at 1:63K.

In addition, I recommend printing custom waterproof maps with your routes and waypoints on them on waterproof map paper like National Geographic Adventure Paper. I prefer the Legal or Tabloid sizes and a UTM grid. Using UTM makes field use of the maps, on the fly navigational decisions, and field waypoint loading a lot easier. An 8.5 by 14 inch map can cover as much as 13 by 7.5 miles on each side of the paper and weighs less than a half ounce.

The Garmin cable that you can purchase is the old-fashioned serial interface as opposed to the more popular USB interface. Serial to USB adapters are available but I did not test this option.

Display

The Gekos use a 100 x 64 pixel screen. There’s enough information displayed on each screen to minimize the need for multiple screens and deeply nested menus. A quick press of the power button toggles backlighting on the Geko. A feature that we like is that once turned on, the backlight turns off after a user-defined period of time. When subsequent buttons are pressed, the backlight turns back on, illuminating the display. To turn the backlight off, press the power button quickly. We found the backlighting on the Geko effectively illuminated all parts of the screen.

Value

Geko 301

The 301 is light, fast, reliable, and easy to use. It has most functions an ultralighter wants. It excludes most functions you don’t want (like sluggish, frustrating, power consuming and almost useless GPS loaded maps). The Suunto Vector wrist navigation computer, which lacks a GPS, is similar in price to the 301. Heavier GPS units with built in mapping and a ton of other stuff you don’t want or need can cost $500 to $600 or more. As such we think the 301 is good value.

Compared to the Suunto X9, a wrist-mounted GPS unit with similar functions, the Geko 301 is about $550 cheaper (MSRP). The benefits of the X9 are a smaller size and some continuously readable information. The Geko 301 has much better GPS reception, is significantly easier to operate than the X9, has much longer battery life, and the batteries are replaceable in the field.

Geko 201

I think that the Foretrex 101 is a better value than the Geko 201. Both have similar features and price but the Foretrex 101 is lighter (with the strap removed), smaller, has wrist-mounting convenience if desired, and a newer processor with better battery life. I also prefer the Trip Computer on the Foretrex to the Trip Computer on both the Gekos.

Recommendations for Improvement

• Offer the Geko 301 in some color other than dull gray. Bright orange would be great and is a color not yet used in the Geko or eTrex line.
• Include a PC cable with purchase and use a USB connection rather than a 9-pin serial connection.
• Offer a wrist-mounted Geko 301 (possibly the Foretrex 301 with magnetic compass and barometric altimeter?).
• Upgrade the Geko units to have the same scrollable Trip Computer page as the Foretrex series.

Overview

In our opinion, the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Northern Lite pullover and vest are the best values in lightweight synthetic insulating garments. They retail for nearly half the price of similar garments but have first-class performance. Both are simply designed, well constructed, and use premium PrimaLoft PL1 insulation. PL1 insulation has better performance when wet than many of the non-premium insulations used in some lightweight garments. In addition the microfiber shell fabric of these garments is water resistant by the nature of its tight weave which increases the wet weather performance. This wet weather performance is not surprising since MEC is located in the cool and wet Northwest. At 12.1 ounces (343 grams) for the pullover and 8.5 ounces (241 grams) for the vest, they are slightly heavier than some high-end garments with similar loft.

In Brief

• Super bargain in a high performance insulated garment
• Premium PrimaLoft PL1 insulation. Good performance when wet
• Water resistant microfiber shell
• Good ventilation: deep 3/4-length front zipper on pullover and full length zipper on vest
• Chest pocket on pullover and side pocket on vest are actually large enough to easily stuff the garments into their self-stuff sack
• Minimalist design for pullover

Specifications

Warmth

The MEC Northern Lite pullover and vest have 1.8 oz/yd² PrimaLoft PL1 insulation which is quilted to the liner fabric and lofts nicely even after being subjected to an all day rainstorm. The pullover neck fits closely and the cuff and waist use simple stretch binding tape to seal in warmth. The sleeves are long enough on the pullover that I could pull my hands (with my 32 inch sleeve length) completely into the sleeves to warm them up.

I tested the Northern Lite pullover on a trip with lots of precipitation along a Colorado section of the Continental Divide Trail. Alan tested the vest along the Ice Age trail as well as other locations. To keep warm while hiking, I need to wear more clothing than many backpackers. The Northern Lite provided welcome warmth on the last day of my trip as I began to hike down hill towards the trail head in a hail storm at freezing temperatures. The pullover did a good job of sealing in warmth. Once I started hiking uphill, it became too warm and I needed to take it off. Both vest and pullover kept us warm on cold nights and mornings in camp, and at windy rest stops. As expected, the vest needed a shell thrown over it during windy periods and in the rain. The vest proved an excellent way to increase the warmth of a minimal sleeping bag when Alan weathered a sub-freezing night in a windy and exposed bivy. A bonus – the vest did not steal much space in an already tight sleeping bag.

Both of us found the microfiber shell fabric of the Northern Lite breathable enough for moderate exertion in cool weather (approximately 40 °F). Nonetheless as we increased uphill activity, we needed to make good use of the garments’ zippers for ventilation, and I eventually needed to take the Northern Lite pullover off to keep from overheating. Alan found the vest with its full zip and natural underarm ventilation did much better with temperature regulation and internal moisture accumulation.

Storm resistance

The Northern Lite has a windproof, naturally water-resistant microfiber polyester shell according to the MEC web site. The weave of the fabric is very tight and slows the rate that water seeps through it as compared to a regular weave fabric. I had a chance to test this as I hiked several hours in a constant and heavy rain. The sleeves of my poncho did not cover the lower sleeves of the pullover which were constantly exposed to the rain. Although the pullover shell wet out fairly quickly under the hard rain, water did not make its way through the PrimaLoft PL1 insulation to my base layer, and my arms never felt wet. The pullover dried quickly on my body once I got under a tarp and out of the rain. Alan wore the vest under a very light windshirt in a cold rain. The microfiber shell did a good job of holding water at bay but eventually the PL1 insulation did get wet, mainly around the shoulder seams. He didn’t notice a huge difference in warmth once it was wet and like me was able to dry it out once he got under shelter at the end of the day.

Usability

The Northern Lite pullover fits my long slender torso nicely with room for base and mid layers underneath. The bottom hem is just below hip length and there is enough room to bend over and touch my toes without the bottom hem lifting. The sleeves are long enough to tuck my hands into and the shoulders have good articulation. The hem does not rise when arms are raised to shoulder height and only rises about half an inch when arms are held straight overhead. The pullover does not bind across the back when arms are crossed or held forward. The very large napoleon pocket has plenty of room to carry lots of small items. It is one of the few chest pockets that claim to be a stuff sack that easily contains the garment without straining the seams. Sleeves and waist are not adjustable, but both fit closely enough to keep drafts at bay, while being loose and stretchy enough to go on and off easily. The neck opening fit my slender neck closely and comfortably. People with large necks may find the opening too constricting. The guard at the top of the center zipper is a nice touch. As expected, Alan had great mobility in the vest. He liked the handwarmer pockets both for keeping his circulation impaired hands warm at rest stops and for the extra pocket storage space. The pockets were great for keeping small items like a lighter, tent cord and stakes, stray stuff sacks, TP, and headlamp readily available in camp.

Value

The Northern Lite pullover costs less than half of the other lightweight insulated jackets that we tested, and the vest costs more than $30 less than the other vests in our review. Both use quality construction and materials including premium insulation and a water resistant microfiber shell. Their only drawback – they are just a bit heavier than some garments with similar loft. They are both a terrific value!

Recommendations for Improvement

It’s hard to find fault with these excellent garments, especially when they cost so little for the performance they deliver. If MEC could find a way to shave a few grams off of both garments they would be at the top of their class. Finally, while PL1 is an excellent insulator we feel that Polarguard Delta performs slightly better when wet. We’d love to see a Northern Lite with Polarguard Delta insulation and a lighter liner fabric.

Overview

In making the 12-ounce (340 gram) Logan Vest, Integral Designs concentrates all its insulation where it is needed the most, the torso. With 0.8 inches of single layer loft, the Logan vest was easily the warmest core garment reviewed. For most conditions I feel that a vest, because of its weight, is a more efficient insulating garment than a jacket or pullover, especially when used in conjunction with a good shell/jacket. The Logan vest shines in a summer sleep system and for keeping you warm around camp. In winter conditions, its freedom of movement will make it a good companion for high activity sports such as cross country skiing, and it does a great job of boosting the warmth of an underrated sleeping bag. But, the vest style has its drawbacks. As a stand alone garment, it lacks some resistance to wind and precipitation and doesn’t insulate your arms. You can also lose valuable heat through the arm openings. As noted earlier, a vest works best when combined with a wind/storm resistant shell or insulated over-jacket when conditions warrant.

In Brief

• Warm! With 5 oz/yd² Primaloft Sport insulation, it has two to three times the loft of most other lightweight synthetic garments reviewed
• Still weighs only 12 ounces
• Lots of pockets – two hand warmer and one interior pocket
• Comfortable, great freedom of arm movement. Completely fleece lined 3.25 inch insulated collar
• Durable windproof water resistant Pertex microfiber shell
• Has the usual drawbacks of a vest – e.g. no arm insulation, needs a good over shell in windy and inclement conditions

Specifications

Warmth

With 5.0 oz/yd² Primaloft Sport as insulation, this vest has the highest loft in our sample group. I used the vest as my primary insulation on alpine climbing and backpacking trips and was thrilled by the warmth provided in a 12-ounce synthetic garment. The heavy insulation makes this vest a good addition to your sleeping system when you are pushing or exceeding the limits of your sleeping bag. The fleece-lined collar is also well insulated, and is very comfortable and warm. The hand warmer pockets are Pertex lined, and have insulation on both the inside and outside of the pocket; my cold hands warmed up quickly in these pockets. I rapidly overheated in the Logan vest while hiking uphill in 50 °F temperatures. During aerobic activity, I found it too warm for use at these temperatures although its full length zipper provided good warmth control and it easily vented perspiration from my underarms – another benefit of the vest design. In summer conditions, it performs best as part of a sleep system, and to keep you toasty on cold morning and evenings. In colder temperatures, it excelled as a core insulating garment, and with a shell took me down to well below freezing in moderate activities in windy conditions.

Storm resistance

The DWR treated Pertex shell held up well in moderate rains and the heavy insulation helps to keep storms at bay. Of course, the vest style makes this garment less storm resistant than jackets or pullovers. Water and wind can enter through the armholes, and it does not protect your arms nor can you draw your hands inside sleeves for warmth. I did have some water enter thought the arm-holes in a moderate summer thunderstorm, but I stayed warm nonetheless. The armholes are lined with an elastic lycra hem, which does keep them closed up reasonably well without being uncomfortable. If combined with a water resistant wind shell, or a waterproof/breathable jacket, these drawbacks of the vest style can be mitigated. Primaloft Sport insulation does not hold its loft as well when wet as Primaloft One. I was careful to not completely soak the vest although as noted earlier the vest did fine in all the precipitation I encountered. The Pertex shell is breathable and even when I got overheated it passed perspiration and I stayed dry. There is a 1-inch weather flap under the zipper to provide additional protection from wind and rain.

Usability

The Integral Designs Logan vest fit my torso well and allowed excellent arm movement, another advantage to a vest. The insulated hand warmer pockets are warm and comfortable and the left side interior pocket provides additional storage space. This amount of storage space is not common in many lightweight garments. After several washings and soakings, the vest showed no sign of loss of its DWR treatment, and showed no sign of wear or loss of loft over the course of the test period. A silnylon stuff sack is included.

Value

At $100, with excellent core warmth and a high loft to weight ratio, the Integral Designs Logan vest is an excellent value.

Recommendations for Improvement

I found little to complain about with the Logan vest. An upgraded insulation, such as Primaloft One, would provide better warmth if the vest got soaked but would also raise the price of what is a bargain insulating garment. Lighter zippers and a little less fleece in the collar might remove a few grams at the cost of some comfort and durability.

Overview

The 12.7-ounce (360 gram) Moonstone Cirrus jacket uses a 15 denier high-tenacity ripstop fabric for the shell and lining, along with Dupont Thermolite Micro insulation. The Cirrus has a light shell and a higher lofting 2.4 oz/yd² insulation, versus the 1.8 oz/yd² insulation used in many other ultralight jackets. As such, it maintains a loft/weight performance similar to minimalist jackets while retaining features like pockets and a full zipper. With a good DWR and thick insulation, the Cirrus Ultralight performs well under the worst climatic conditions. Its fit allows minor gymnastics without exposing body parts to the elements. Although the hand warmer pockets are fine around camp or town, they are too low and are covered by a pack’s hip belt when backpacking.

In Brief

• Maintains good loft/weight performance while retaining features like pockets and a full zipper
• The 15 denier x 40 denier high-tenacity ripstop is only 1.1 oz/yd²
• Shell looks great, and held up to hard use
• Great fit with underarm gussets for good freedom of movement
• Dupont Thermolite Micro insulation (2.4 oz/yd²)
• Comfortable pockets, although they are too low for use with a hip belt
• Heavier than some minimalist jackets with similar warmth

Specifications

Warmth

The Cirrus Ultralight has 2.4 oz/yd² Dupont Thermolite Micro insulation in both the body and sleeves. The Thermolite insulation provides about 0.4 inches of single layer loft. For comparison, the weight and volume of Thermolite Micro is comparable to 216-fill power down (216 in³/oz). The insulation is quilted to the outer shell fabric of the Cirrus Ultralight, but not to the inner lining. This insulation is highly compactable, drapes well, and holds up to hard use and washing.

I tested the jacket in temperatures down to 25°F in both high winds and wet conditions, with the jacket fully zipped and hem draw cord cinched, while wearing a light base layer. I was warm in the jacket at temperatures above freezing when resting, and comfortable to the upper-20s in the Cirrus when active. Heat retention is very good throughout the jacket. Moreover, the superb fit and resulting freedom of movement reduced the amount of cold air entering the jacket as I moved.

I tested the breathability of the jacket under the same conditions. It performs well while at rest and wearing dry clothing. The breathability becomes a bit hampered when active, particularly when base layers are damp. The tightly woven fabric does not breathe as well as Pertex Quantum.

Storm resistance

Moonstone uses a 1.1 oz/yd² high-tenacity nylon ripstop fabric for both the shell and liner of the Cirrus. This fabric has a 15 denier fiber in one direction woven to a “super full dull” 40 denier fiber in the other for strength and reduced shininess. The final product held up well and has an attractively dull finish.

Moonstone treated the fabric with a Super DWR coating that does an excellent job of shedding light rain. Heavier rains soak through with time. However, the synthetic microfiber insulation does retain most of its loft when wet. Drying time is a bit slower than I would have liked – probably hampered by the lower breathability of the shell fabric.

Usability

The Cirrus Ultralight is sized to fit over a base layer and underneath a shell. The sleeves are long enough to completely cover my hands if they are balled into fists, and remain at the wrist with my fairly long arms extended or raised (see photo). Torso articulation is also very good. When I hold my arms straight out the hem does not rise. The hem rises only about 2 inches when I raise my arms above my head. Hats off to underarm gussets!There is sufficient length in the jacket to permit the 2-inch rise without exposing the pant’s waistline. The collar on our prototype sample seems slightly big when wearing the Cirrus Ultralight with a collarless base layer. However, I found the fit works well with a collared base layer or balaclava. In addition, Moonstone has made some changes to the production Cirrus Ultralight to improve the collar’s shape.

The FieldSensor brushed tricot lining in the two zippered pockets of the Cirrus Ultralight provides instant warmth to numb digits. The pockets are located low on the sides of the jacket and unfortunately are inaccessible while wearing a pack hipbelt. A third zippered pocket is located Napoleon style on the inside left chest.

Opening the full-length front zipper is the best means for regulating temperature. The Cirrus Ultralight uses a lightweight, but durable, #5 single slider, one-way separating YKK coil zipper. The use of a one-way zipper eliminates venting by unzipping the jacket from the bottom. However, a light shock cord at the hem allows some adjustment to the hem opening thus permitting some lower torso ventilation. The jacket has non-adjustable sleeve cuffs formed of elastic sewn into the shell fabric.

After enduring 76 miles on the Continental Divide Trail in Southern Colorado, numerous other hikes, mountain bike rides, and several washings, the Cirrus is in good shape. Even light encounters with brush are not much of a problem as I discovered while hanging bear bags in the thick pines of southern Colorado. When worn without a shell, the material is not suited to more serious bushwhacking or alpinism. Minimum weight was a primary design objective for this garment; durability was secondary. Nevertheless, stitching is top notch. Moonstone did not miss an opportunity to reinforce with bar tacks or double stitching in critical areas.

Value

Shell fabric that is relatively durable for its weight, exceptional freedom of movement, and the minimal weight of the Moonstone Cirrus Ultralight combine to create a nice overall package at a reasonable price of $140.00.

Recommendations for Improvement

Very little needs improvement. Our only recommendation is to raise the hand warmer pockets so they can be accessed while wearing a pack with a hipbelt.

Don did you want this to be bulleted. It’s not in the reviewer guidelines you sent me.

Overview

At 11.0 ounces (312 g), Patagonia gets back to the roots of the original Puffball – maximum warmth with minimal weight and bulk. Since its introduction, ultralighters have watched their beloved Puffball increase in weight with heavier materials and construction. Patagonia reverses this trend and then some. The new Micro Puff Pullover weights only an ounce more than the old Puffball Vest! The shell fabric drops from 2.3 to 1.0 oz/yd2 and the insulation goes from the economical 4.2 oz/yd2 Thermolite Micro to a premium performance 2.6 oz/yd2 Polarguard Delta. For those who want more warmth, ventilation and pockets, Patagonia has recently added a fully zippered, hooded jacket to the Micro Puff lineup. The jacket weighs 16.5 oz (468 g).

In Brief

• Excellent loft and warmth for a lightweight pullover
• Premium performance Polarguard Delta insulation
• Microdenier shell is surprisingly weather resistant and durable for 1.0 oz/yd2 fabric
• Large, easily accessed front chest pocket
• Minimalist design: if you want a fully zippered hooded jacket, more pockets and adjustments, check out Patagonia’s new 16.5 ounce Micro Puff Jacket.

Specifications

Warmth

For its weight and loft the new Micro Puff is one of the warmest synthetic garments on the market. I’m glad to see Polarguard Delta used in a lightweight garment. In my opinion Polarguard Delta is the highest performing synthetic insulation for both wet and dry conditions! See more on this in the review summary.

I did my primary testing of the Micro Puff on a five-day ski trip in Yellowstone’s high altitude backcountry. Daytime temperatures were below freezing and nighttime temperatures dropped to around 10 °F a few nights. The Micro Puff kept me warm at cold and windy rest stops. It was ideal for putting on at the end of the day and drying out sweat and snow soaked clothing. I usually retired for a 30 to 45 minute rest in my tent by which time my wet clothing was dry – a testament to the warmth and breathability of the pullover. I also wore the Micro Puff to bed to boost the warmth of an underrated top bag (no down on the bottom). I stayed warm well below the rated temperature of the sleeping bag.

Storm resistance

I used the Micro Puff in a whole day of wet snow. I never got wet nor did the pullover absorb undue amounts of moisture. It took less than an hour to completely dry the pullover out once we reached camp for the night. The microfiber shell and DWR finish did a good job of shedding precipitation, although it did wet out over time. Even wetted out, the tight weave of the microdenier shell prevented/slowed moisture entry to reasonable levels, which certainly contributed to its low moisture absorption and fast drying time. The microdenier shell is very windproof.

Usability

The Micro Puff is a minimalist pullover. It has no hood, a half-length zipper, one pocket, and half-elastic cuffs. Its design goal is maximum warmth for minimum weight. If you’re looking for a fully zippered jacket with a hood and lots of pockets, this isn’t it. Even so, I liked its single large zippered chest pocket. It holds a surprising amount of stuff. I used it to store my none-too-small digital camera and sometimes my GPS unit as well. It’s easily accessed and located away from shoulder straps and hipbelts. The very light shell fabric on the pullover has proved quite durable over the past six moths of use.

Value

At $145 for an 11.0 ounce pullover with over half an inch of loft the Micro Puff is a surprisingly good deal. Most other manufacturer’s jackets in this range are heavier or not as warm for a similar price.

Recommendations for Improvement

My main gripe with the Micro Puff is that its cuff openings are a bit tight. I had some difficulty pulling the cuff over my Suunto Vector wrist computer. Since this is an on-and-off-at-rest-stops garment, I struggled with this many times during the day. The zipper pull for the front pocket is small, slippery and hard to use with gloves. I suggest Patagonia use the same pull as on the chest zipper. I never used the drawcord hem adjustment and would have been just as happy with a sewn-in elastic hem to save a bit of weight.

Overview

Montane packed their Solo jacket with lightweight materials and features that retain heat without excessive weight or bulk. The high fitted collar, uninsulated hood, adjustable low hem, and double baffled full-length zipper allow easy adjustments to regulate temperature by venting or battening down as necessary. Despite the inclusion of these features, many of which are excessive for an ultralight insulation layer, Montane maintains a respectable weight of 15.9 ounces (451 grams). Montane achieved this by using lightweight fabrics (0.9oz/yd² Pertex Quantum) and premium lightweight insulation (1.8oz/yd² Primaloft One). Overall, I was pleased with the fit. However, I felt the shoulder articulation could be improved to permit raising the arms without raising the hem.

In Brief

• Full featured jacket – hood, fleece lined collar, drop-tail and hand warmer pockets
• Unique uninsulated hood – provides head and neck protection without the weight
• Pertex Quantum shell – light and breathable, but not made for bushwhacking
• Premium 1.8 oz/yd² Primaloft One insulation
• Highly breathable and adjustable for varying conditions
• Excellent fit, but shoulder articulation could be improved
• Lower loft/weight performance – features increase weight in comparison to minimal garments with similar warmth

Specifications

Warmth

The 1.8 oz/yd² Primaloft One insulation used in the Solo jacket is water repellent, fast drying, and highly breathable. As measured, the Primaloft One affords 0.3 inches of single layer loft to the Solo. Often synthetic insulation is quilted to the garment fabric creating thin spots in the insulation along the stitch lines. Since Primaloft insulation does not require quilting, the Solo benefits by having fewer un-insulated seams. The Pertex Quantum shell is windproof and breathable.

For its weight, the Solo is comparatively warm. This is due more to its features and adjustability than to the performance of its shell and insulation. The Solo has a fully baffled zipper, tall close fitting collar, rollaway hood, and adjustable drop tail hem. We tested the jacket’s warmth at temperatures as low as 25 °F while the jacket was fully zipped, hem tightened, and hood on with a synthetic, long sleeve base layer. We found the Solo performs well at slightly below freezing temperatures in calm conditions. Although highly resistant to wind, some heat retention is lost at wind velocities exceeding 20 miles per hour . We found the Solo comfortable to 25 °F during aerobic activity. The extra features of the Solo add to the temperature rating of what would otherwise be a relatively thin insulator.

The breathable fabrics and insulation used in the Solo combine to create a very comfortable jacket suited to highly aerobic activities. Even at 50 °F with wet clothing while hiking with a pack or mountain biking, the Montane Solo remained comfortable with minimal buildup in interior humidity.

Storm resistance

Montane selected 0.9 oz/yd² Pertex Quantum for the shell of the Solo jacket. Pertex Quantum is highly breathable (98%) and highly tear resistant (12 newtons minimum). The Solo lacks heavier fabrics in high wear areas, making fabric protection a responsibility of the wearer. I agree with Montane’s choice of lightweight materials over unnecessarily durable and heavier fabrics for an insulation layering piece.

Montane designed the Solo as an insulation layer and intended it to be worn beneath a shell in stormy conditions. The shell fabric and unsealed seams are not waterproof. Nevertheless, we found the water shedding capabilities of the Pertex Shield treatment, combined with the water resistance of the insulation repelled short, light rains with ease. Downpours overwhelmed these properties quickly. Although the synthetic insulation maintains a great deal of warmth when wet, and the jacket dries quickly, I found it best to carry another means of storm protection.

Usability

Montane uses a semi-relaxed fit for ease in movement. The jacket is still trim enough to permit layering under a shell. The high collar fits well and seals the neck edge to retain heat. The sleeves are sufficiently long to cover hands when balled into fists. This provides ample coverage of the wrists when extending your arms. Shoulder articulation is not as good. With the arms held out parallel to the ground, the jacket hem rises about 0.5 inches. The hem rise increases to about 5 inches when raising the arms above the head (simulating climbing in the jacket).

We liked the temperature regulating features of the Solo. The Solo offers full coverage with a low hem that drops even lower in the back to cover the butt. The length of the back hem provided coverage of the lower back while mountain biking or bending over. A one-hand adjustable draw cord adjusts this hem. The full-length, two-way #5 YKK Vislon tooth main zipper allows greater adjustability by allowing the wearer to vent from either the top or bottom of the jacket. The 3.5-inch lined collar fit well and provides complete coverage for the neck, sealing out the cold. The collar hides an uninsulated rollaway hood. With perimeter shock cord and Velcro front closure, the hood adjusts easily. Although uninsulated, the hood is still an excellent accompaniment to a wool or fleece watch cap, providing wind and water resistance at minimal weight. Finally, Lycra trims the non-adjusting sleeve cuffs.

The Solo includes two zippered and insulated hand warmer pockets. These pockets are not lined with fleece or tricot for softness. However, they are located high enough on the jacket to remain fully usable while wearing a pack with hip belt, a big plus while backpacking. A third zippered security pocket, located on the inside, provides thin storage for a few valuables.

Without reinforcement patches on high wear areas, the Pertex Quantum shell of the Montane Solo cannot take on much abuse. Still, the fabric should be more than durable enough for lightweight backpacking. During our review of the Solo we treated the fabric to several months of harsh use. Tear strength seemed adequate for such a lightweight jacket. When subjected to bushwhacking through dense vegetation or against coarse sandstone, the Solo showed signs of abrasion. Our review sample has a few snags in the shell fabric, but is otherwise intact. The jacket lacks bar tacking in some high stress areas, particularly at the ends of the two chest zippers. On our sample, the seam popped at the end of the left chest pocket zipper. Although this was easily mended, it could have been avoided with bar tack stitching. Despite the condition of the Solo at the conclusion of our review, this jacket should hold up well enough for conscientious lightweight backpacking since we subjected the Solo to abuse beyond its intended use range.

Value

When considering the features, usability, and weight, the Montane Solo is nearly an exceptional value. However, the lack of bar tack stitching along high stressed seams and poor shoulder articulation knock it down to a good value.

Recommendations for Improvement

The Montane Solo is an overall excellent lightweight synthetic jacket. Montane could improve seam durability with bar tack stitching at high stress points. Our final concern is the shoulder articulation, which does not allow raising the arms without lifting the hem. An underarm gusset might be the solution here.

Overview

At 5.2 ounces (147 grams), the Montbell U.L. Thermawrap Inner Vest is among the lightest synthetic insulation vests on the market. It comes with a Chameece micro-fleece lined collar, elastic openings at the waist and arms, and a full length YKK zipper. It lacks other features such as pockets and a drawstring waist (features that would add to its weight but not its insulation performance). This is a single-minded garment that provides maximum synthetic warmth at a minimum weight.

The Thermawrap Inner Vest uses a 1.8 oz/yd² proprietary synthetic insulation called Exceloft which is quick drying and loses very little loft when wet. The Ballistic Airlight shell is extremely lightweight and is both water resistant and windproof, further adding to the utility of the vest.

In Brief

• Super light, full zip vest (5.2 ounces, Men’s Medium)
• Extremely light Ballistic Airlight nylon shell is windproof and reasonably durable
• A minimalist, no frills, no pockets garment
• Full zip for temperature regulation and moisture control
• Exceloft insulation. Good warmth for the weight. Retains loft well when wet
• Moderate storm protection, soaks through in sustained rain
• Slightly loose fitting garment – consider sizing down

Specifications

Warmth

I took the vest on numerous backpacking and climbing outings in the Northwest and the Guatemalan highlands over the summer and early fall. In these settings, it is typical for me to rely on a down vest and varying thicknesses of long-sleeve tops as my only insulation. At first I was wary of the warmth of the Thermawrap Inner Vest due to its light weight and thin 0.3 inches of loft. While the vest was not as warm as a higher loft down vest, I was very surprised by the warmth of the Montbell. In temperatures down to 45 °F and layered with a wool top, I found the vest to be quite warm and comfortable. Further, its windproof shell kept my core warm and allowed me to layer it over a windshirt when necessary. This saves time over a fleece vest where I would need to peel off the windshirt and put the vest underneath.

The full zipper of the Montbell vest increased its versatility as I was able to open the vest to stay cooler during times of higher exertion. The elastic armholes created a snug, comfortable seal around the arms, sealing in warmth. Further, the high collar warmed my neck and prevented warm core air from leaking out the neck opening.

The Thermawrap Inner Vest performed wonderfully when layered in a three-season clothing system. Its weight makes it an excellent layering piece below a thicker synthetic jacket for four-season use.

Storm resistance

I wore this jacket, layered with a long sleeve wool top, during several Washington and Guatemalan downpours. Although the DWR will resist a drizzle, a heavy rain will soak through the shoulders and back in about 10 to 15 minutes. However, I found that even when it was soaking wet, the Exceloft insulation still kept me warm and lost little loft.

To further check the storm resistance of the Thermawrap Vest, I soaked the jacket at home and wrung it out. By my measurements, the insulation had lost less than 10% of its loft and was still reasonably comfortable to wear. Wearing the wet vest, I went to sleep in a synthetic sleeping bag. When I woke up the vest was nearly dry. I feel very comfortable relying on the Montbell vest during adverse and stormy conditions.

Usability

The U.L. Thermawrap Inner Vest is a simple vest. It has no pockets or drawstring waist. However, it does have a Chameece micro-fleece lined collar which is warm and very comfortable against the skin. It uses a full-length YKK zipper with anti-snagging Cordura backing. It also has elastic at the arm holes and waist. In other words, it has features that aid its performance without adding any extraneous weight. The vest comes with a well-made Airlight stuff sack for easy packing.

The fit of the vest is loose. I normally wear a large but a medium vest would have fit me better than the size large I tested. However, even the large vest fit snugly at the waist and arms due to elastic-reinforced openings.

Value

If you need one of the lightest insulating garments on the market, the U.L. Thermawrap Inner Vest is a reasonable value at $99. Although not as warm for its weight as a lightweight down vest, the Thermawrap’s insulation retains much of its warmth when wet. This is a minimalist garment focused on weight reduction. If you want features like pockets and a drawstring waist, there are vests on the market for less money and with more features and durability – they also weigh more.

Recommendations for Improvement

We don’t recommend adding features that would increase the weight of the vest. We would like to see Montbell adjust the sizing to a trimmer fit that will easily layer under larger garments. Also, a more effective DWR coating to shed water a little longer before soaking through in a storm would add to the attraction of the vest.

Overview

The GoLite Buzz is a full-featured jacket with a premium Pertex Quantum DWR treated shell and 1.8 oz/yd² Primaloft One insulation. Four pockets, a high collar, hem drawcord and Power Stretch cuffs and underarms round out the features. The Buzz is highly breathable and performed well in storm conditions – staying dry for long periods and keeping me warm in long, moderate rains. The Buzz is comfortable and well made. Its list of features makes it heavier than simpler jackets.

In Brief

• Pertex Quantum shell with DWR
• 1.8 oz/yd² Primaloft One insulation
• Full featured, four pockets, 3.5 inch collar, hem draw cord
• Comfortable Power Stretch cuffs and articulated underarms
• Breathabilty and fit are great for high motion activity
• Good storm protection performance
• Additional features reduce loft/weight ratio compared to minimalist jackets

Specifications

Warmth

Most of my testing was done on a summer trip to Alaska, and a few summer climbing trips. I wore the Buzz for four days of exploring in Denali National Park, where conditions were cool, occasionally cold, and the rivers were downright frigid. The tight and comfortable cuffs, drawcord hem and tall 3 1/2 inch collar make the Buzz quite adjustable. I could really button it down when the conditions got poor. At 45 °F, and with a light layer beneath the Buzz, I was too warm to fully close up the jacket, even when relaxing around camp. In Denali, I frequently donned the Buzz to help me warm up after crossing cold rivers. The hand warmer pockets were comfortable and welcome after the cold water. I can attest that the GoLite Buzz is completely impenetrable to even the nastiest Alaska mosquitoes.

Storm resistance

Summer thunderstorms in the Arizona mountains can be violent; the Buzz was subjected to several over the course of the summer. The DWR treated Pertex Quantum shell, in combination with the Primaloft One insulation provided excellent storm resistance for a jacket that is not waterproof. I stayed dry for long periods (30 minutes or more) in moderate rain, and the DWR treated shell beaded and repelled water even long after some water had begun to soak through. Breathability is one of the strengths of the Buzz. The Pertex Quantum fabric, full zipper and Power Stretch underarms combine to make a highly breathable jacket. I wore the Buzz in wet summer storms and used it to keep me dry while hiking uphill in heavy rain. I was able to stay acceptably cool in both situations. This versatility allowed me to use the Buzz as a summer rain garment for warm thunderstorms, with its insulating power still in reserve in case conditions got worse.

Usability

The GoLite Buzz has a number of features not found in minimalist jackets that make it a more versatile performer. Two hand warmer pockets with tricot lining, a vertical zip chest pocket and a vertical zip internal pocket provide loads of storage. The external chest pocket also serves as self-storage for the jacket. The elasticized hem draw cord has two separate toggles for control, and easily adjusts on either side. GoLite calls the Buzz a semi-fitted jacket, and I agree. It fit nicely on my tall, lanky frame, without being bulky, and with room for moderately heavy layers underneath. The Buzz is relatively short waisted to allow freedom of movement, with no drop tail and no coverage of the rear end. The articulated Power Stretch underarms are a welcome reduction of bulk under the arms. Articulation is excellent, with no rise of the hem when arms are lifted horizontally. My Buzz took quite a beating over the summer and shows no signs of wear. It is bar tacked and reinforced at key stress points.

Value

Loaded with features and state of the art fabrics, the GoLite Buzz is a good value at $149. As an ultralight garment, it clearly sacrifices weight reduction to add features like four pockets.

Recommendations for Improvement

As an ultralight jacket, the only drawback to the Buzz is the 2 to 3 ounces of extra weight relative to no-frills jackets. The hem drawcord and possibly the internal pocket could be sacrificed to get the total weight down, while still keeping the most usable features. Narrower cuffs might also shave off a few grams. I removed the hem drawcord on my Buzz – taking 0.6 ounces off its weight. Given my size large jacket which weighed 15.9 ounces, shaving a couple more ounces off the Buzz would bring it into the range of other lightweight Primaloft One insulated jackets.

Overview

The Montbell U.L. Thermawrap Jacket is dedicated to no frills lightweight performance. At 8.0 ounces (227 grams) it is one of the lightest synthetic fill garments on the market. The U.L. Thermawrap uses a 1.8 oz/yd² (1.5 oz/yd² in the sleeves) proprietary synthetic insulation, Exceloft. I found the jacket to be warm for its weight and comparable in loft to heavier garments using Primaloft One insulation. The shell is an extremely lightweight 15 denier Ballistic Airlight nylon. Based on use over the course of the summer, the shell is completely windproof and reasonably durable. The Thermawrap is a simple jacket with no pockets, a full zipper, Chameece micro-fleece lined collar and elasticized cuffs. Montbell also offers the U.L. Thermawrap in a vest style (see our review here) which weighs 5.2 ounces, with an MSRP of $99.

In Brief

• Super light, full zip jacket (8.0 ounces, Men’s Medium)
• Extremely light Ballistic Airlight nylon shell is windproof and reasonably durable
• A minimalist, no frills, no pockets garment
• Full zip for temperature regulation and moisture control
• Exceloft insulation. Good warmth for the weight. Retains loft well when wet
• Moderate storm protection, seams will soak through in moderate rain
• Tightly woven Ballistic Airlight nylon shell not as breathable as other nylon fabrics

Specifications

Warmth

Over the summer I took the U.L. Thermawrap on numerous high mountain backpacking and climbing trips, and a summer trip north of the Arctic Circle to Gates of the Arctic National Park. When the jacket first arrived, my XL size jacket seemed so light that I was skeptical of its warmth. But I wore it down to 40 °F on several occasions and was warm with another light layer beneath the jacket. Its windproof shell was a blessing in Alaska and kept me warm when I might otherwise have needed two layers and much more weight for the same level of protection. Despite being pleased with its warmth, it is still a lightweight jacket, and with only 0.3 inches of loft, it is not a four-season garment. When temperatures get near freezing, the Thermawrap requires significant assistance from other layers if you are resting or around camp. I found a lightweight vest ideal to boost the warmth of the U.L. Thermawrap.

The super windproof shell fabric is not as breathable as some more loosely woven nylon and polyester shell materials. During some high exertion activities I did get a bit clammy in the jacket with the zipper closed. Not surprisingly, the full zip is a great asset for temperature control as well as moisture buildup. I wore the jacket while hiking in the early morning at high altitudes at approximately 45 °F. I was able to stay cool while hiking uphill with the jacket unzipped, and warm on ridges, passes and rest stops with the zipper closed.

Storm resistance

In Alaska, I wore the jacket during several heavy rains with temperatures in the 50s. I stayed completely warm each time even when the jacket had absorbed considerable water. The Exceloft insulation performed very well in home tests as well. I completely soaked my jacket, wrung it out mildly and saw no measurable loss of loft. The Thermawrap’s lightweight, sewn through construction does make it vulnerable to rain. Although it comes with a standard DWR, after 10 minutes of moderate rain, I experienced wet shoulders where water came through the seams. A lightweight wind shell with DWR treatment worn over the Thermwrap would dramatically improve storm resistance, and indeed Montbell has designed the U.L. series as inner layer garments.

Usability

The U.L. Thermawrap is a no frills jacket. I found the 2 3/4 inch high, micro-fleece collar very comfortable and warm when fully zipped. The Ballistic Airlight nylon held up well over quite a bit of use, including some scrambles and moderate abuse from rocks on climbing trips. Overall fit and articulation is excellent. The sleeves are plenty long on the extra large size even for a tall (6’4″) reviewer. The jacket does not ride up when the arms are lifted to shoulder height. It stuffs nicely into the included stuff sack and makes a great pillow.

Value

As a garment on the cutting edge of lightweight gear, the $129 price tag is a good value. Although the overall warmth to weight ratio is below some other garments in this category, the U.L. Thermawrap weighs in several ounces below most of its competition, making it a tempting choice for those who need the absolutely lightest gear.

Recommendations for Improvement

I wouldn’t change the ultralight focus of the U.L. Thermawrap, and would not want to add any features that would increase its weight. We realize that the U.L. Thermawrap jacket is not designed as rain gear, and it won’t keep you dry as long as some other jackets in this category. Still, we think its storm resistance could be improved for almost no additional weight with a better DWR.